TEAM NEWS
Fulham head coach Scott Parker has no fresh injury concerns for the visit of league leaders Manchester City.
Tom Cairney is back training after a long-term knee problem but he is not expected to be involved on Saturday.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is likely to rotate his squad again, with Joao Cancelo, John Stones, Raheem Sterling and Sergio Aguero among those hoping for a recall.
Midfielder Rodrigo could make his 200th career league appearance.
LAWRO’S PREDICTION
Fulham were fantastic at Anfield last weekend and fully deserved their victory over Liverpool. With three months of the season to go, they have given themselves a fighting chance of staying up, and you just know they will give it a good go in this game too.
This is obviously a much bigger test, though. Manchester City’s long winning run was ended by neighbours Manchester United but I think that defeat could end up doing Pep Guardiola’s side some good.
A defeat at the right time can concentrate the mind for the tests that are to come – the old ‘short, sharp shock’ if you like, because there is nothing worse than your players starting to think that you can’t be beaten.
Prediction: 0-2
Lawro’s full predictions v Bend it like Beckham actor Frank Harper
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
- Fulham have lost 10 consecutive matches against Manchester City in all competitions and are winless in 16 since a 3-1 Premier League victory at Etihad Stadium in April 2009.
- City have scored in each of the past 26 meetings, winning the last six by an aggregate score of 18-0.
Fulham
- Fulham’s form over the past six league games is the fifth best in the division, with three wins and 11 points.
- However, their home record is the joint worst in the Premier League. Fulham have only beaten the two sides currently below them: West Brom and Sheffield United.
- They’ve scored eight league goals at Craven Cottage this season. The Premier League record for fewest home goals scored in a season is 10, by Manchester City in 2006-07 and Huddersfield in 2018-19.
- The Cottagers are winless in 24 Premier League home matches against established top-six opposition since beating Arsenal in January 2012 (D2, L22).
- Since losing 2-0 at Manchester City on 5 December, all four of Fulham’s league defeats have come at Craven Cottage.
- Scott Parker’s side have only conceded twice in their past seven league matches, keeping five clean sheets.
- Ademola Lookman has been directly involved in Fulham’s four most recent goals at Craven Cottage, with two goals and two assists.
Manchester City
- City are on a club record run of 12 consecutive away victories in all competitions.
- Pep Guardiola’s side can equal the club record of 16 successive competitive away matches unbeaten, set from January to September 1999.
- They have won 22 of their past 23 league and cup games.
- Manchester City dropped points in only two of their 15 league matches so far this season against teams currently in the bottom half of the table: 1-1 draws with Leeds and West Brom.
- Ilkay Gündogan has scored 10 of his 12 Premier League goals this season in 2021.
- Guardiola has won all five competitive matches as a manager against Fulham by an aggregate score of 13-0.
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